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concealing those enticing curves, which was a damned pity because he’d liked what he’d seen before. “I feel like such an imposition.”
    “You aren’t,” he said, and surprisingly meant it. It had been a while since he’d had a nice home-cooked meal with an articulate, interesting woman. Usually, women either dated him for his looks, or his bank account, and neither scenario turned him on. Sure, he was glad he was attractive enough that he got noticed, but he really just wasn’t out to get laid as often as possible.
    Someday, he wanted more. Sex was great, of course, but casual sex felt all wrong. He didn’t do that often—in fact, almost never—and the few times he had, he’d regretted it. During the several serious 38
    Kate Watterson
    relationships in his thirty-three years, he had learned that affection made all the difference in the level of pleasure when you made love.
    So why was he thinking that way right now about the lovely but mysterious Dr. Kerin Smith? They didn’t even know each other.
    She went up the stairs first, slender in the flickering inadequate light. He followed, intent on getting her the blankets, finding the extra toothbrush he had a in a drawer somewhere, and getting the hell back downstairs as fast as possible.
    There were built-in cabinets in the pine walls, one of the features he’d been impressed with when he looked at the house, and he took out a couple blankets for himself and an extra, in case she needed it.
    Rummaging through his dresser, he found her a tee-shirt that said University of Wisconsin across the front, the badger logo faded from years of washing. It was his favorite; the one he wore the most often in the summer, and why he wanted her to wear that particular shirt was some sort of irrational male fantasy.
    He liked the idea of his shirt next to her bare skin.
    What an idiot.
    Kerin accepted the shirt with a soft murmur of gratitude. When he produced the toothbrush, she smiled at him warmly, the simple curve of her lips taking his breath away. Pale and disheveled, she’d even been pretty. When she smiled, she was positively gorgeous. He’d always been a sucker for a great smile.
    “I can live without a lot of things,” she told him. “A toothbrush isn’t one of them.”
    “Toothpaste in the drawer,” he said, still mesmerized, hoping she didn’t notice his stare. “If you need anything else, help yourself. I’ll be right down on the couch.”
    She stood, looking back at him with a hint of uncertainty in her lovely eyes. “I feel terribly guilty about this. Are you sure?”
    “Positive.” His reply was firm. “If you’ll let me brush my teeth first, the upstairs is all yours and I’ll get out of your hair.”
    Jesse made fast work of the before bed essentials, glad he made it Blindsided 39
    a point to keep everything neat and clean, considering his unexpected company. When he came out of the bathroom, he saw she’d changed already with a small twist in the pit of his stomach. The UWM shirt had been a good choice. It came to about mid-thigh, showing off her long slender legs, and the worn material molded nicely to the curves of her breasts. The swing of blonde hair over her shoulders contrasted with the dark blue material, and she looked like some delectable young college coed. She sat on the bed, obviously waiting for the bathroom.
    Jesus, he was actually getting a hard-on, he realized, and it happened so damned fast his cock was already halfway to a full erection. He flushed slightly, hoping she didn’t notice the telltale bulge in his jeans. “Good night,” he said abruptly, turning for the stairs.
    “Wait.” The word was soft. She added on a breath, “Please.”
    He really needed to get out of his bedroom. The very tempting Dr.
    Smith perched on the edge of his bed was a little too much apparently for him to ignore. At least his unruly body. His mind recognized damned well he didn’t know much about her.
    Reluctantly, he turned around.